Serving the Lord in Guatemala

May 15, 2019

April 2019

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The time we see on an analog or digital clock is the present. Time past is not visible there. But in a sand-glass clock, you can see the time passed as an empty space at the top of the glass and as the stacked sand at the bottom. If we look at 2019 as a sand-glass clock, we are at the point where 1/3 of the sand is as the stacked sand and 1/3 of the top of the glass is empty. Through this image, we can feel the flow of time which makes us question with what we filled that passing time. With what did you fill in your space the first 1/3 of 2019?

“I have fought a good fight. I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Tim 4:7)

Pray that Paul’s confession is our confession of the time we had so far.

A simple seminar was organized on March 21st as part of a holistic education project in guiding and counseling Zion Middle School students. The Patzicia regional manager of Good Neighbors was invited as the first speaker and led with the theme, “Let’s make a change by refreshing our thoughts” (Romans 12: 2). The purpose of organizing seminars is to broaden the students’ overall understanding and thinking about how to respond and react according to the foundation of the Word of God in various situations of life outside the classroom. Pray for them to take a positive step toward the future through a holistic education project.

Themes of future seminars will be on various topics with invited instructors who are appropriate to the topic, sharing knowledge and actively communicating with students through question-and-answer sessions. Pray that the students will be able to map out how to apply the knowledge learned in the class to life through the Christian perspective. Through the first session, we came to realize the necessity of lectures for each grade level. Please pray for wisdom to develop lectures more effectively and for God’s guidance in the provision of needed materials and guest speakers to share their God-given talents with us.

Meily Sucely is a graduate of Zion Middle School and 16 years old. She is currently studying architecture at the La Casa Aguilas high school in Chimaltenango. In Guatemala, students can choose a major even in a high school. She has four brothers. Her mother is a housewife and the father works at a gas station. Meily is a smart student who won the annual Independence Speech Contest of the region of Patzicia. When Caleb visited her home (pictured left), to talk with the parents they shared that the plans for her future after majoring in architecture are not clear because she was not sure of why their daughter is studying architecture. The parents are not able to get information to help or guide her in this regard. This fact is not only for Meily and her family, but for many other students also. So many of these students cannot expect to get advice or help from their parents.

So, in order to give valuable help to these graduates, in the process of decision making regarding careers and further study, Caleb sets a time for a regular meeting with the graduates. Some are already married, having children even before dreaming about any plans for their own lives. We want to help and guide them in order to provide necessary information and counseling. Please pray for wisdom and perseverance in this ministry because the youth in Zion School are the crucial source for Patzicia’s future.

Debra taught Korean every Saturday in March. It is a basic course for those who will continue to study at San Carlos University. It is not a formal course at the National University, so she can freely share her Christian faith in class in order to evangelize college students. She had 13 students who are Roman Catholic, Christian, and non-religious. She shared her thoughts on the purpose of life and the joy of God’s companionship, and concluded with a prayer of blessing. One of the students plans to go to Korea as a missionary. As a Korean missionary in Guatemala, to meet a Guatemalan missionary to Korea was a very impressive moment to praise God’s wonderful grace to reach out to His own people through various ways. Please pray for Debra to have more effective wisdom in sharing the Word with these college students.

Joshua came to stay with us during the Easter holiday for two weeks. To maintain his permanent visa he has to come to Guatemala at least once every year. We missed him a lot, so we were very grateful to see him especially in the season of celebrating the resurrected Lord. Please pray for the protection and guidance of God for Joshua while he continues studying in Belgium.

The road construction around Chimaltenango has finally been completed. Travel on this road, which had sometimes taken three hours of travel, is now available in an hour. Praise the Lord. Pray for God’s protection for Caleb while he is driving.

The empty space of the sand-glass clock of Debra’s 1/3 of 2019, was filled with the supplication and grace of recovery. The time for rehabilitation after the surgery was slow, slow and slow. But the range of movement of her shoulder is widening, the pain is reduced, and the things she is now able to do are gradually increasing. Pray that God’s grace will fill the rest of Debra’s time in 2019 to reveal the awesome power of God. We bless you all and pray for your remaining time of 2019 to be filled with the experience of the grace of God that reveals His protection and power.